Miron Amusia to prof. Aumann

Published on: 2014-12-06 @ 14:17

Dear Prof. Aumann,

Being a theoretical physicist, professor (emeritus) at the Racah Institute of Physics, I value very much your profound scientific achievements. They are important for all mankind. But for very many people in the world, including myself, not less important is your dedication to Jewish traditions and traditional values.

I was happy to discover that my political views and opinions are very close to yours. This gave additional forces in defending patriotic pro-Israel point of view in endless debates in- and outside Racah Institute and the whole Israel as well as in my numerous articles on this subject.

Recently, I run across the following headlines in a number of Russian press outlets[1] “Israeli Nobel laureate Robert Aumann believes that the West is making a mistake by supporting the new Ukrainian government”. Of course, such a statement became an undeserved, from my point of view, support to the current policy of the leadership of Russia, including but not limiting to annexation of the Crimea.

The detailed information about you visit has included also the end to the headlines, so that the whole statement becomes essentially different: “the West is making a mistake by supporting the new Ukrainian government, not being ready to enter into a tough confrontation with Russia”.

The account about you interview to electronic “Snob” magazine included the following paragraph: “I was from the beginning very troubled by the support that the West has given to the new Ukrainian authorities. In my opinion, anti-Russian government in Ukraine is something similar to an anti-American government in Cuba. Leave Russia that lies within its sphere of interests, and I do not say this because now I am in Moscow. Do not stir up troubles, especially if you’re not ready for real tough actions. You might say: “Mr. Putin, you want to fight – let’s fight.” But the West is not ready, the West is indecisive“.

Let me respectfully disagree with you in only one, but very essential aspect. The problem is not in the support to new Ukrainian authorities that was and is still weak due to this or that reason. The problem is in impossibility to tolerate annexation of a part of somebodies legal territory, even if you are not fighting against such a step. This is a matter of fundamental principles that were violated by Russia and cannot be quietly tolerated and/or excused. The continuous Russia’s intrusion into Eastern Ukraine has to be responded publicly, at least issuing oral condemnation.

By the way, anti-American government in Cuba exists for more than 60 years. I assumed, however, that the very notion of “legal interests” of a big country toward its small neighbors has gone. To leave a powerful country its small neighbors “that lies within its sphere of interest” is not a good behavior, since the “sphere of interests” has even no generally acceptable definition. Such an approach is not only immoral, but dangerous. It would stimulate small countries to acquire e.g. nuclear and biological weapon that could help to fight a big neighbor. Needless to say, such a world would be very uncomfortable for all, and particularly for Israel.

On the other hand, when it comes to Ukraine, it is bigger than France and has about 50 millions of population. It is hard to prescribe such a country to somebodies “sphere of interests” even in the very old sense of this word. It is not essential from such a perspective that the country at this moment has not enough military power. It will appear in an already inevitable arms race.

For us, a very important question is whether the current events are “good for the Jews”. Let me say honest and open that the current development outside Russia and particularly inside it is enforcing anti-Jewishness, as one can see watching Russian TV and Internet. It is hard to forget who permanently supports Abbas, Fatah, Hamas, Heisbollah, Syria, Iran, by arming them. Russia never, since about 1950, has supported Israel or even abstained when anti-Israeli resolutions were voted in the UN.

Perhaps, my comments are based on a quote that distorts what you have said in fact. Then I am sorry indeed, but simply ask to have in mind what was written from your name. Consider this letter as a pure personal, from me to you, only[i]. With warmest regards, sincerely yours Miron Ya. Amusia.

PS. As I learned later, the whole sentence “the West is making a mistake by supporting the new Ukrainian government, not being ready to enter into a tough confrontation with Russia” entirely disappear from the published version of Snob http://www.snob.ru/selected/entry/76467, making the whole situation much worse in my eyes.